Improved furnace for the combustion of coal-oil and similar hydrocarbon fluids



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- PATBHTED MAY 8, 1860. "J. GALKINS, P. A.7H0VER & 0, W. GRANNVIS. FURNACE 011 THE COMBUSTION 0F GOAL'OIL 0R SIMILAR HYDROGARBON FLUIDS.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES OALKINS AND PHILIBA. HoVER, or HUDSON, AND CHARLES W.

GRANNI'S, on ,GOWAVNIDA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED FURNACE FOR THE COMBUSTION 0F COAL-OIL AND SIMILAR HYDROCARBO'N FLUIDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent- No. 2S,l54, dated May 8, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:v

Be it known that we, JAMES GALKINs and PHILIP A. HoVER, of the city of Hudson, in the county of Columbia, and CHARLES W. GRANNIS, of Gowanda, in the county of Erie,- in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful apparatus, which we term a Fuel- Box, forthe purpose of employing petroleum, coal-oil, or other hydrocarbon fluids for producing steam; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fuelbox and chamber-pan combined; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse sect-ion of fuel-box and chamber-pan, exhibiting the airchainber formed between the two; Fig. 3, birds-eye view of the fuel-pan resting in the chamber-pan; Fig. 4, birds-eye or topview of the chamber-pan detached from the fuel-pan.

' The same lettersiudicat'e like parts on the several figures.

Letter A'is the air-pipe which conducts air to the chamber beneath the fuel-pan. (See Fig. 2.9

Letter 0 is the air-chamber. (See Fig. 2.)

Letters 0 c c, 820., indicate the convexities formed in the bottom of the fuel-pan. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) Letters p p p, &c., are the air pipes or tubes communicating with the airchamber, and which conduct the air into the flames of the burning fluid used for fuel.

Letter 8 is the supply-pipe passing through the air-chamber andcommnnicating with the fuel-pan throngh'the bottom at '0.

Letter 0 is a valve which opens and closes this commpnication and regulates the supply of fuel as required.

The nature of our invention consists in placing beneath or connecting with steam-boilers shallow metallic vessels or pans for containing petroleum,coal-oil,or other hydrocarbon fluids to be used as a'fuel, and of so constructing and arranging them that currents of air maybe forced into and made to commingle with the flames of the burning fluid.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to de-.

scribe its construction and operation.

,As above mentioned, we place beneath or otherwise connect with steam-boilers one .or more shallow metallic pans, which are supported by broad flanged margins resting on the flanged margin of another similar, but larger and deeper, vessel or pan beneath. (See these two pans-as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of our drawings.) The'lower pan or vessel, Fig. 4, is som'uch larger than the upper or fuel pan, Figs. -1, 2, and 3,'that a reservoir orair-chamber is formed between the two and space sufiicient for all expansion of the upper vessel. Through the bottom of thefuelpan (see Figs. 1 and 2) are inserted vertical tubes or pipes, which communicate with the air-chamberO beneath, and whichextend so far above the fluid in the pan that no expansion or ebnllition of the same will overflow their tops.

chamber 0 beneath, whieh'mingle with the flames of the burning fluid above. may be admitted from above, beneath, or at the sides of the flames, and similar results will be produced.

The fuel-pans are pipe, 8, through the fuel regulated by cocks or valves. be admitted bottom.

to is a wire connected with the valve 1; to open or close the aperture through which the supplied by means of a bottoms and the supply of It may also fluid is to be supplied. The bottoms of the fuel-pans are-likewise either corrugated 'or provided with numerous coucavities c c 0,

Figs. 1 and 2, to retain fluid suificient to keep up the fires without filling the'pans so full as to overflow with the motions of theboiier, with which it may be connected.

To supply the. air-chamber G, we employ a blower of any of the ordinary kinds used -.on steam-vessels. On locomotives we contemplate using natural currents of air without the intervention of a blower.

' The operation of our apparatus is indicated I by the description we have given of its construction and arrangement; but to make. it more plain we will state that, having admitted through the valve a sufficient fluid to just cover These tubes or pipes p p '12 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3) admit currents of air from the The air throughthc sides as'weil as the its bottom we ignite it. Now, it burns with a dense black smoke. The blower being convenient, it is started by hand by means of a crank, which may be slipped on and off at pleasure. This is continued for a few moineuts'until the steam will drive it. As soon as the currents of air are made to-mingle with the flames of the burning fluid, its combustion is not only wonderfully increased but all the smoke, before so dense, is completely iconsumed and annihilated;

By the use of our apparatus not only a new class of materials is employed as fuel for producing steam, and for other purposes, but an immense saving-great econo my in ocean navigation with steam-vessels-is effected.

To fit our fuel-pans to the boilers of steamengines now in use, the grate-bars need only pose herein set forth.

be removed and the pans fixed in their places.

The ash-pan is'made tight so as to serve for the air chamber or reservoir and the margins- JAMES OALKINS. PHILIP A. HOVER. CHAS. XV. GRANNIS.

Witnesses:

ALEX. S. RowLEY, ISAAC A. COLLIN, 

